China has no support: PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that Viet Nam would continue providing the world public and community with information on China's perverse actions in an honest and objective manner.— Photo dantri

HA NOI (VNS) — The Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, said yesterday that many countries had raised their voices in support of Viet Nam, but so far, no leader of any country had declared that China's actions were right.

The PM said that China's blatant and illegal placement of an oil rig on Viet Nam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone was an extremely serious violation of international law.

And he added that Viet Nam would continue providing the world public and community with information on China's perverse actions in an honest and objective manner.

The PM, who was chairing the monthly meeting of Cabinet, said that China's blatant and illegal placement of the oil rig Haiyan Shiyou-981 on Viet Nam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone was an extremely serious violation of international law.

The PM said this included the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), to which China was a signatory.

"This act has been directly threatening peace, stability, maritime security and safety in the East Sea," he said.

Faced with this situation, the Party, State and people had "resolutely safeguarded national sovereignty" by peaceful means in line with international law, he said.

According to the Government leader, the entire Vietnamese nation expressed anger at and strongly condemned China's aggressive actions.

Dung said that for a month, through diplomatic channels, Viet Nam established contact with Chinese leaders at all levels 30 times to resolutely demand that they withdraw the rig.

The country had also increased information campaigns to help Vietnamese and the international public understand China's illegal acts, he added.

"These activities reflect our determination to firmly demand China move its rig out of Vietnamese waters as well as our goodwill to peacefully settle this issue in accordance with international law," he said.

Dung said Viet Nam's policy was to continue pursuing the struggle in the field to assert national sovereignty over its waters in line with international law.

This meant maintaining coast guard and fisheries surveillance forces and fishing vessels while requesting China to immediately withdraw its rig.

Dung said Viet Nam would persist with the diplomatic struggle to protect "the sacred sovereignty of the nation" by peaceful means. A legal lawsuit against China regarding the illegal rig placement would be considered in conformity with international law.

However, the Prime Minister also told ministries and local government agencies to ensure that socio-economic development targets were completed, regardless of tensions in the East Sea.

He said Viet Nam would do its utmost to preserve its friendship with China to boost economic, trade and investment in the interests of both sides.

He said it was crucial to focus on improving the investment environment and implementing the equitisation of some state-owned enterprises.

China trade

Industry and Trade Minister Vu Huy Hoang told Cabinet that trade activities between Viet Nam and China had been maintained at their normal level, while projects involving Chinese investors and contractors had not been affected.

He proposed that as well as protecting national sovereignty over seas and islands, Viet Nam should continue to maintain its economic, trade and investment partnership with its neighbour.

Meanwhile, the Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam Nguyen Van Binh, said that banking activities had progressed positively and system security ensured.

He said foreign-invested banks, including those from China, continued making strong commitments.

Control gold

Earlier, Prime Minister Dung told ministries and authorised agencies to take better control the gold and foreign currency markets to avoid fluctuations

He also called for an increase in credit for small and medium-sized, labour-intensive and export businesses.

More efficient control over the market, especially the price of milk, as well as the prevention of smuggling and controlling the market in fake commodities were also important tasks.

The Prime Minister said the first five months of this year had shown positive progress.

A report presented at the meeting showed that the consumer price index during the month rose 0.2 per cent over April and 4.72 per cent year on year.

Meanwhile, the country's total exports in the January-May period reached about $US58.5 billion, an increase of 15.4 per cent over the same period last year.

Imports reached $56.86 billion, up 9.6 percent.

In the period, the country recorded a $1.65 billion trade surplus, equivalent to 2.8 per cent of the total imports, the report said.

Industrial production index in the period also grew 5.6 per cent, higher than the 4.9 per cent recorded in the same period last year.

At the meeting, cabinet members said escalating tension in the East Sea created certain limitations on the country's socio-economic development.—VNS